Biographies

Daphne Jessie Akhurst (1903-1933), tennis-player, was born on 22 April 1903 at Ashfield, Sydney, second daughter of Oscar James Akhurst, lithographer, and his wife Jessie Florence, née Smith. She showed...

A promising pianist in her school days, Daphne Akhurst attended the State Conservatorium of Music in New South Wales, becoming a music teacher and performer. While studying, she became an enthusiastic tennis player, winning the schoolgirls' singles championship in 1917-20. In 1923 she won the County of Cumberland ladies' singles, and two years later, the Australasian championships. She went on to win the Australasian championships a further four times. Akhurst travelled to the United Kingdom, where she competed at Wimbledon, reaching the singles and doubles semi-finals and the mixed doubles final (with Jack Crawford). Akhurst out-performed all of the Australian men in the conmpetition and was ranked third in the world by .
Akhurst married Royston Stuckey Cozens, a tobacco manufacturer, in 1930, and retired from serious competition in 1931. The pair had one son. Akhurst died of an ectopic pregnancy in 1933.
The trophy for the women's singles winner at the Australian Tennis Open is names in her honour.

Diaries, letters, archives

... their wedding, solemnised at Colac, Victoria, January 26, 1903, by the Rev. J. McKenzie. OBST.— Mr. and ... Daphne Page, to John, only son of Mr and Mrs. R. Ritchie, of West Mitcham. PEARCE— ROBERTS.— The en ...
7854 words

... DEATHS """"" AKHURST Adrian, of 135 Kooyong road, Armadale - On Janu-ary 21, husband of the late Leila ... Akhurst, and loved father of Jim, Ann and Arthur. UXI1ISON William late of Poitland - On januHiv 21 at ...
3222 words